Lack of decisions is a major reason of our procrastination and bad outcomes. We can train our decision-making muscle.
1. Decide to make a decision sooner
Although there are some decisions may take longer time than others, the sooner we make a decision, the better it is. For example, if we decide to move to other country to live for a while, it may take longer time than deciding to go to a meeting or not. No matter what, over analysing paralysing often leads to procrastination. Hence, we can refer to other following points to make decisions sooner.
2. Do research to make a good decision
- Identify the decision to be made as well as the objectives or outcome you want to achieve
- Brainstorm and come up with several possible choices by gaining different perspectives, gathering as many facts and as much information you can to assess your options (people you trust, people who are successful)
- If you don't have some different perspectives to make sure you have a good choice not in a hurry. Avoiding using the same patterns of your past to make a decision for your future if in the past you didn't make any good decisions
3. Determine if the options are compatible with your values, interests, abilities, purpose, and your best self (your future self in 5 years)
- Weigh the probabilities or possible outcomes. In other words, what's the worst that can happen? What will happen if I do A, B or C and can I live with the consequences
- Make a list of the pros and cons. Prioritize which considerations are very important to you, and which are less so. Sometimes when you match the pros against the cons you may find them dramatically lopsided.
Make a decision and stick to it